The document discusses teaching grammar to intermediate English language learners. It provides guidelines from ACTFL on the abilities of intermediate learners in speaking. Some key grammar structures taught at the intermediate level are listed, including the present perfect, relative clauses, conditionals, gerunds/infinitives, and modals. Principles for effective grammar instruction for intermediates emphasize placing structures in real contexts, incorporating humor/motivation, and promoting creative and personalized activities in pairs or groups.

1. Teaching Intermediate Learners Julio Vangel P.

6. Pre-intermediate syllabus Grammar Structure/form Meaning Function Sample Simple Present & Present Continuous Verb+ s/es in third person. am/is/are +verb+ing Simple present expresses facts or usual actions. Present continuous expresses things happening now, at this moment. Stating preferences. Talk about activities and facts. Karina usually sits at the front of the class. Today she is sitting at the back. Simple Past & Past Continuous Verb+ed or irregular verbs. Was/were+verb+ing. The past simple talks about a finished action in the past. The past continuous describes an action in progress at a specific moment in the past. Retelling past events. Telling stories happening at specific times in the past. When I took the photo, they were writing a song. I was sitting on the sofa when I saw the news on TV. Will/ Won’t & Going to Be+going to+base form(verb) Will, won’t +base form. (Predictions, promises, offers and decisions). Use going to talk about future plans. Use will & won’t to make decisions, offering and promising. Making Predictions, offers and decisions. He isn’t going to like the weather here. We’ll take the 6:30 train. I’ll open the door for you. I won’t tell anyone. Comparatives & Superlatives (Short)adjective+er/est than. (Long)adjective more/most+adjective+than Comparatives compare people and things. Superlatives adjectives say which is the biggest in a group. Comparing things, places and People. My sister is shorter than John. John Isn’t as tall as my brother. He’s the tallest person I’ve ever seen.

8. Intermediate syllabus Grammar Structure/form Meaning Function Sample Present Perfect Have/Has+ verb (past participle. He has been to Paris. (He’s been to Paris) Have you ever been to Mexico? Relative Clauses Relative clauses tell us what a place, person or thing does. Identifying People. Describing Places and things. Conditional Clauses (If+ present,) [will+base form ]-First Conditional. (If+past,) [would+base form] -Second Conditional. Use the first conditional to talk about an improbable future situation and its consequence. Second conditional talks about improbable/Impossible situations. Gerunds & Infinitives Verb + ing. To+ base form (verb) Express Purpose. Give definitions.

9. Intermediate and upper-intermediate syllabus Grammar Structure/form Meaning Function Sample Modals Talk about possibilities. Make recommendations. I may go to the party. I might not go to the party. I think you should hire him. Affirmative Statement+negative question with auxiliary. Negative statement+ affirmative question with auxiliary. She doesn’t like it here, does she? You can sing, can’t you? Indirect Questions Auxiliary verb/modal verb + Subject + verb. Indirect questions are polite, longer forms of normal questions. Showing interest in specific objects or actions. These classrooms are cleaned every evening. They weren’t build by the Greeks.

10. Intermediate and upper-intermediate syllabus Grammar Structure/form Meaning Function Sample Had/Hadn’t+ past participle * The past Perfect is the same for all persons. Use the past perfect when you are already talking about the past, and want to talk about an earlier past action. Relating past events to other past events. Reported Speech Tense Change: Present-Past Can-Could Will-Would Present Perfect-Past Perfect Etc. Reporting what someone said.

11. Intermediate syllabus Grammar Structure/form Meaning Function Sample Present Perfect Have/Has+ verb (past participle. Present Perfect is used to talk about past experiences when you don’t say exactly when they happened. Talk about experiences. Starting Conversations. He has been to Paris. (He’s been to Paris) Have you ever been to Mexico? Relative Clauses who/that/where/when & which. Relative clauses tell us what a place, person or thing does. Identifying People. Describing Places and things. A cook is a person who works in a restaurant. A clock is a thing that tells the time. Conditional Clauses (If+ present,) [will+base form ]-First Conditional. (If+past,) [would+base form] -Second Conditional. Use the first conditional to talk about an improbable future situation and its consequence. Second conditional talks about improbable/Impossible situations. Making Hypothesis. If I have time tomorrow, I’ll help you. If a bear attacked me, I would run away. Gerunds & Infinitives Verb + ing. To+ base form (verb) Infinitive says why you do something. Use the gerund as the subject of a sentence, after some verbs and prepositions. Express Purpose. Give definitions. I need to clean my room, it’s too dirty. It’s important not to be late. Smoking is a bad habit.

12. Intermediate and upper-intermediate syllabus Grammar Structure/form Meaning Function Sample Modals May/Might+ base form (possibility) Should/ Shouldn’t + base form (advice) May and Might talk about a future possibility. Should and Shouldn’t are used to give advice or say what you think is right to do. Talk about possibilities. Make recommendations. I may go to the party. I might not go to the party. I think you should hire him. Tag Questions Affirmative Statement+negative question with auxiliary. Negative statement+ affirmative question with auxiliary. Tag questions are used to verify or check information that we think is true or to check information that we aren't sure is true. Checking and confirming facts and opinions. She doesn’t like it here, does she? You can sing, can’t you? Indirect Questions Auxiliary verb/modal verb + Subject + verb. Indirect questions are polite, longer forms of normal questions. Asking Politely. Where is the department store?- Could you tell me where the department store is? Would you tell me the purpose of your visit? Passive Be (Present/Past) + past participle. The passive is used when it’s not known or not important who does or did the action Showing interest in specific objects or actions. These classrooms are cleaned every evening. They weren’t build by the Greeks.

13. Intermediate and upper-intermediate syllabus Grammar Structure/form Meaning Function Sample Past Perfect Had/Hadn’t+ past participle * The past Perfect is the same for all persons. Use the past perfect when you are already talking about the past, and want to talk about an earlier past action. Relating past events to other past events. Suddenly he remembered that he had seen the movie before. I arrived at the coffee shop twenty minutes late. Reported Speech Tense Change: Present-Past Can-Could Will-Would Present Perfect-Past Perfect Etc. Reported speech is used to say what another person said. Besides the tenses, pronouns also suffer a change Reporting what someone said. I want to see you again. He told her (that) he wanted to see her again. I’ve been at work since 8:00. She said (that) he had been at work since 8:00.